My experiences with the US HEALTH CARE SYSTEM! I broke my wrist and had to get surgery…

++Reason for blurs/muted audio: This channel was renamed in Oct 2021. All references to the old name have been removed.++
A few months ago, I broke my wrist (official diagnosis: distal radius fracture +
ulnar styloid fracture) and had to get surgery and undergo physical therapy for a couple of months. This was my first real experience with the US health care system, so I wanted to document the whole process and share it with you guys! If you wanna learn more about how it happened, check out this video▸ • I broke my wrist! Life...
Here is the timeline of the whole process:
08/31 Injury happened, went to the urgent care, x-rays, got a splint
09/02 Appointment with hand specialist at Cincinnati Christ Hospital
09/03 Physical examination and pre-surgery Covid test
09/08 Surgery
09/21 Got my splint off, had stitches taken out, x-rays, got a removable brace to wear 24/7
09/22 Started physical therapy
10/19 Follow up appointment, x-rays, stopped wearing brace
11/17 Got discharged from physical therapy
11/18 Follow up appointment, x-rays, got discharged from doctor
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Check out my PODCAST (with Josh)▸ / understandingtrainstation or linktr.ee/Understandingtrains...
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
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PO Box 19521
Cincinnati, OH 45219
USA
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ABOUT ME: Hallo, Servus, and welcome to my channel! My name is Felicia (Feli), I'm 26, and I'm a German living in the USA! I was born and raised in Munich, Germany but have been living in Cincinnati, Ohio off and on since 2016. I first came here for an exchange semester during my undergrad at LMU Munich, then I returned for an internship, and then I got my master's degree in Cincinnati. I was lucky enough to win the Green Card lottery and have been a permanent resident since 2019! In my videos, I talk about cultural differences between America and Germany, things I like and dislike about living here, and other experiences that I have made during my time in the States. Let me know what YOU would like to hear about in the comments below. DANKE :)
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[@mikerhodes8454]

If the doctors/nurses didn't know you were German, you should have come out of anesthesia speaking German only and making them think something went wrong.

[@FelifromGermany]

Hahahaha that's genius 😂

[@mikeobrien3744]

So devious, so wrong...I love it!!

[@trick37mp47]

PMSL! That would've been a hoot.

[@ryank5424]

Evil genius in the making 😁

And of course, also pretending not to even understand English. ;-)

[@riboflavinz]

When I lived in Germany in the mid 90s my son had a cyst removed from his ear at a German hospital. I was very impressed with all aspects of the experience. Everyone there spoke English very well, everything was explained before hand, there was no waiting, and the surgery was fine. I heard nothing but good things about German hospitals from other Americans I knew there. A lot of Americans criticize the quality of care in countries with universal health care but my experience and the experiences of others I knew there were great. Side note... And this happened to me a lot. When meeting Germans for the first time, they would often apologize before hand for their poor English then speak it almost perfectly! And in their own country!

[@tramper42]

5:26 German insurance would pay for the flight to Germany, for the operation and the flight back to USA ... I guess also for some days in hospital as well ... I guess I would not have done it either, but that part alone tells A LOT how expensive healthcare is in the US, while it is a common good in Germany.

[@willshedo]

That is not entirely true. Only the expensive private health insurances may do that or you have additional insurance for abroad. For which you pay, of course. Health care in Germany is not free at all, everybody must pay monthly insurance fees. Going to the dentist's can be a very expensive experience, too, up to a five-figure sum.

[@proeuropa1783]

@@willshedo It's not free, but we do not charge people or insurance companies as much as Americans do, period. America is excluded on most Auslandskrankenversicherungen for a reason. It's just ridiculously expensive.

[@c_wanderluster]

@@willshedo if I were you I would be happy to be German or European for that matter, since health care in Europe is much more affordable and better than the American one. Education and health care shuoldn't be capitalised as the Americans do

[@JohnLnyc]

@@willshedo A common misperception is government provided healthcare is “free”. It is never “free”

[@annaclarafenyo8185]

@@JohnLnyc It is always free, money is abstract.

[@chrisray1567]

Hats off to Josh! A friend in need is a friend indeed.

[@erictrumpler9652]

Hi, I had a similar accident about a month later in Germany. Some differences: 1. I had a local anaesthetic, from the shoulder down, but they did keep me in the hospital for two nights. My procedure took only 45 mins, so it may be less complicated than yours. 2. I had a cast only between the accident and the surgery 10 days later. After surgery, before leaving the clinic, I received a removable brace. 3. Physiotherapy started immediately, two days after surgery. Very basic, simple and easy passive exercises. I believe they set this up for me like this because I'm a professional cellist, in order to speed up my reconvalescence. 4. The billing procedure in my case is a bit unusual.... On the one hand the procedure is carried for the most part by the Berufsgenossenschaft because the accident happened on my way to work. The BG is the employer-based accident insurance carrier, which is responsible for work-related accidents in Germany. In addition, I'm privately insured, so I have head doctor treatment benefits which also come into play. Because it is a BG case, I'm not sure I will actually be informed about the actual cost of the procedure....I haven't, so far. 5. Medication: I didn't require any opioid as pain medication, only ibuprofene, which I took until 5-6 days after surgery. I also supplemented my treatment with mineral and vitamin supplements, as well as homeopathy. 6. I'm now 9 weeks after surgery, have had rigorous and sometimes painful physiotherapy, three weekly appointments at first, now 1-2. I started doing finger exercises on the cello about a month after surgery, and now I'm pretty close to full recovery, similar to you.

[@martinbinder2534]

Waiting for 8 hours? Josh is such a good friend.

[@ravenr1420]

Josh is in love. Its blatantly obvious.

[@mazdaman2315]

I think josh likes her

[@deadinside7330]

@@mazdaman2315 stfu

[@stevegrooms1142]

You have been so kind in your comments about the US that, when you said you would be describing your experience with our medical system, I thought, "Oh, s**t! Now she's going to experience something we do SO badly!" And then you had that clash with a German insurance company. I had to laugh! All your fans are happy that you are doing so well, but I'm also glad you turned a spotlight on our insanely high medical billing practices. Thanks for sharing, and thanks again for the generosity with which you view us. I wish we could like ourselves that much.

[@NHL633]

Five stars for Josh! What a good friend. It is always nice to have such a good friend to provide that will provide much needed support at times like this. Again - two thumbs up for Josh!

[@frankb1]

Felicia, this is a good video. A couple of thoughts to share. First, MyChart is not just a convenience; health insurers love apps like MyChart because they save money through better outcomes. Second, the thing that is REALLY broken in the US health care system is the inflated (fake) billings like the $40,000-plus one you received. Very few people in the US actually pay that much money for a routine day surgery, but they have that huge bill hanging over their heads until the insurance company settles for a negotiated amount.

[@richardtodd6843]

Using MyChart, mostly at the same hospital at Feli, had greatly reduced the paperwork that I've dealt with. After seeing this video, I asked my sister, who has expertise in this area, about about what the bill for this operation might have been. She checked with a Medicare database and got $6,000, and guessed commercial insurance might pay around $8,000, not necessarily including physical therapy. As far as what it might cost the actual American insurance customer, there's almost no telling, and very little choice involved.

[@garystarr9176]

I'm glad you had good insurance that covered everything or you would be paying for it for the rest of your life. Seriously. It's great you got it all taken care of. Merry Christmas Felicia! 🌲🎅💕

[@sianeka6379]

So happy to hear you are recovering so well! I hope for continued good progress and health!

[@TMD3453]

Aw Feli, glad you’re feeling better!!

[@letterbox203]

Am so happy you are almost fully healed. Health care and medication costs are astronomical! You gave the U.S. healthcare system in your area such hign marks. You could really promote healthcare services. Thank you so much for sharing. Your content is really fascinating and funny when you were videoing under the anesthesia on the stretcher. Did they ever hassle you when you videod them?

[@76horsepower]

I live nearby in Columbus, broke my right wrist two weeks before you, had the same surgery - also my first since Kindergarten - had the same titanium plate installed, was given the same medication, and also went through 8 weeks of physical therapy. Cost aside (my insurance wasn’t quite as good as yours), I’m very glad your experience was as smooth as mine. Merry Christmas to you!

[@SeesThings]

You are quite resilient Feli. Glad to see you've recovered so well. Enjoy the holidays.

[@atlas227428]

Very glad to hear you're doing so well FElicia. And glad you had such a good experience. Keep on healing and stay out of any additional trouble :)

[@hannesgroesslinger]

The US don't have a healthcare system. They have a healthcare business.

[@steveharvey6421]

As an American I agree. It would be political suicide for a German politcan to say he wants to be like the American model.

[@DramaQueenMalena]

From Europe it seems more a wealthcare system. #Forcethevote

[@Sondan1988]

That is true...but I don't think I have ever heard of American doctors going on strike because of their working conditions and pay. www.dw.com/en/german-doctors-go-on-strike/a-1665252#:~:text=German%20doctors%20have%20begun%20nationwide,working%20hours%20and%20pay%20cuts.&text=On%20Monday%20in%20the%20states,to%20protest%20poor%20working%20conditions.

[@DramaQueenMalena]

@@Sondan1988 That's not because young German doctors are less paid or treated worse than American doctors. That's because in the US you go on strike when it's too late and really bad. We protest much sooner and longer. That's why we have maternity leave, four or five weeks of paid vacation leave, we get paid if we are sick regardless how many days, we have worker rights and protection you do not even discuss.

[@glennsmusicchannel]

@@Sondan1988 They're too afraid, and too disorganized - like most workers in most jobs in America.

[@BurritoKingdom]

It's funny that it would be cheaper for them to fly you to Germany to get the surgery.

[@brianhiles8164]

And the Concorde is no longer even flying!

[@Flyctory]

Even private jet, if you catch a lucky booking, might pay back... When my father died, he was four weeks in hospital, three weeks intensive care, breath support etc., four several hour surgeries... And the total bill (for the "more expansive" German health insurance option) was roughly 130,000 USD Issue is that if you have a plastered arm, you highly risk a denied boarding on a civil plane... It can swell quite badly and someone needs to take off the cast then.

[@the0ne809]

Medical tourism is a thing for many Americans.

[@BurritoKingdom]

@@the0ne809 Yeah I know alot americans that go to Mexico or canada to get their prescriptions. He'll 1 health insurance company in the us would fly their clients to Mexico and keep them at a hotel to get their prescriptions because it's cheaper. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/11/utah-cuts-healthcare-costs-flying-employees-mexico-prescription-drugs

[@jpotter2086]

Yeah ... "funny".

[@bpdrk1]

Glad to hear everything went so well! Enjoy your time with family!!

[@rickhoover6479]

I am pleased to see your progress. Your positivity is always a joy. Enjoy your time with family and friends! Merry Christmas!

[@badgerpa9]

Wishing you and your family a Very Merry Christmas.

[@ignignokt4u2]

You should talk to your doctor about your experience with oxycodone. I'm allergic and learned when I had an experience much like what you described. I'm glad you're all healed up, and hope you're having fun back in Munich!!

[@jasonpendergraft4511]

Feli, Thank you for the video and for being open to doing it. Enjoy Christmas with your family! 🙂

[@kyleseptoo1867]

Hope your wrist heals soon Feli❤️

[@captainhaddock9582]

Had a similiar surgery in september on my wrist. It costed 2535€ in total of which 2232 € was paid by my standard insurance (99€ a year) and The remaining sum by my additional insurance wich is paid my employer. This is in Belgium btw.

[@scottgriffith7759]

Most US Insurance companies have agreements with particular dr's, hospitals, etc. where the charges are significantly lower.

[@TravelAdventureswithEricB]

So happy you get to home and see your family this tough 2020,Happy Holidays.

[@dominikhillebrand7106]

Happy to see you back to health, Lady Sunshine!!! 😉🙂

[@FreezleTV]

In Germany we would call that „Wucher“ :D

[@methusalixchen]

Freezle In the "States" it's capitalism; or heaven. (but only for very few, very rich people) In reality that's FREEDOM!/Zyn. off

[@Baumbieger]

Wucher die hohen Preise sind normal hier weiß bloß keiner mehr wie teuer ein Arzt eigentlich ist weil wir keine Rechnungen kriegen Krankenkasse regelt

[@FreezleTV]

@@Baumbieger Hier kostet so eine Behandlung definitiv keine 40.000€ xD Vielleicht 1/4 davon.

[@annikan2420]

@@Baumbieger definitiv nicht. Ich hatte eine Verschraubung am Knöchel, der Preis wäre 8-10.000€ gewesen laut KK

[@Scott-lx4ic]

@@FreezleTV Die Kosten für einen Armbruch (keine Handgelenksverletzung sondern der gesamte Arm) kostet in Deutschland zwischen 2.000€-6.000€.

[@snc4278]

The high bill is because hospitals use people with good insurance to recoup their losses from people who don’t have insurance. I’ve had a similar experience. This is what happens when health care providers aren’t forced to publish their prices publicly and adhere to them.

[@Stevarooni]

Starting in January, they have to publish their prices...in 2022, they will be forced to.oublish their negotiated prices with insurance companies.

[@snc4278]

I was charged $5990 for a fine needle thyroid biopsy that took less than 10 minutes.. There was no anesthesia, just 2 needle sticks with a sonogram. I waited longer in the waiting room, than It took to get the procedure. I didn’t even have to take my shirt off. The deductible on my insurance was $5000. That’s exactly how much I had to pay the hospital for a 10 minute procedure.

[@benishborogove2692]

Uncompensated care is a much smaller portion than Medicare/Medicaid which only pays 85% - 90% of cost. That's what's really being subsidized.

[@ooinvsaoo]

​@@snc4278 i work in a hospital as a surgical assistant. i was doing an ankle fracture that needed bone cut out and a piece of donor bone was put in. i dropped the bone graft on the floor (making it useless) and the sales rep that was there shouted thats a $7000 graft. i whispered to him i know thats what the hospital charges them but what do you charge the hospital and he said $50. how bout that mark up. there's also this stuff thats called PRP that takes YOUR OWN blood, its spun in a centrifuge so it separates its then added to a drug called heparin (an anti-coagulant) and some other matrix im forgetting and injected into a joint to promote healing, allegedly, but that therapy is $2000..

[@brianhiles8164]

As well to afford their expensive malpractice insurance.

[@Groundhoggie_]

I hope everything goes fine for you. You are having prayers from all over the world. Bless you!

[@AaronHuslage]

I"m so happy you came through it so well. Thank you so much for sharing this. Seeing the differences will be really interesting.

[@nbell63]

Recently, over a 5 year period, I had three health issues that required surgery & hospitalisation of some degree. I am in Australia. We have social medicine and private. In the social/public system, there can be waiting periods but as mine were all deemed 'emergencies' (yay, me), it was straight in each time. 1. my right retina peeled off the back of the inside of my eyeball. I didn't know this was a thing, but because I've always been short-sighted, that is what caused it (yay, my eyes). The upside was that they caught it in my left eye before it got too far. I was quite literally blind in my right eye for a day and a half. I received a day surgery and 6 months of treatment & follow-up with senior specialists (and their adoring students); 2. a kidney stone (just one) that was so large that it blocked the ureter from 'passing water' (not really water) from my left kidney. This required two separate surgeries, the second three weeks after the first, each requiring an overnight stay. I was very fortunate that there were no post-op issues of pain nor discomfort. The hospital gave me an entire box of Oxy (just insane), took none, and put the lot in the trash/rubbish. There were maybe three(?) follow-up visits; 3. (quick note: Don't Fall Off Bikes) I fell off my bike... cycling home from grocery shopping. I multiply-fractured the socket joint of my right humerus (which, ironically, wasn't funny at all) in such a fashion that pinning wouldn't work. I now have a 12cm/4" spike of titanium where the top of my right upper arm bone *used* to be - a Hemiarthroplasy of the Right Humerus. Surgery, three days/two nights in hospital, six(?) physio visits, and six monthly follow-up visits for x-rays and chats to surgeons. Post-op, I received one tray of Oxy. I did need it, but stopped at that, thereafter relying only on Brufen/Ibruprofen, and then transitioning onto paracetamol. God that hurt, but I'm well aware of the dangers of Oxy so got off it as soon as I could. So. Multiple surgeries. Multiple hospital stays, follow-ups, some pharmaceuticals. It cost me *nothing*. It cost me nothing because, like roads and schools and electricity and 'stuff', that's what we pay our taxes for. Australia does not have a perfect healthcare system - it doesn’t help that we have Australian politicians openly lobbied by American health-insurance companies trying to dismantle what we have (they're certainly not hiding it) - but I've personally benefited from what we have. Go socialised medicine! 😊

[@phillipstoltzfus3014]

But see If I never go to the hospital (which I never have) I will just be paying for your health issues because you don't take care of yourself. After a bit they will be nobody working because you disincentived working. Remember this whatever the government can give you it can and in due time will take away.

[@metalgator8083]

@@phillipstoltzfus3014 Right. Of course, you, being a superior human being, will never ever ever need more care than you can afford to pay for yourself. It must be fortunate to be a demi-god like you. Someday, your arrogance will catch up to you. it just hasn't yet. I've visited numerous countries all around the world where everyone has health insurance, countries like Canada, Greece, Finland, Romania, Italy, etc. You know, almost everyone there was working. Isn't that amazing?! Can you believe that?! Although you may not realize it, people in America who have health insurance, like me, still pay for everyone who doesn't. Yes, the prices doctors and hospitals charge here contain within them the price for paying for people who can't pay but still get care. If Feli hadn't had health insurance, she could have filed bankruptcy and then not paid. The most common reason for filing bankruptcy here in America is medical costs. The hospital and doctors will then charge the rest of us for the costs they couldn't recoup. What's even worse is that those who don't have health insurance wait until they are really sick to get treatment, hoping in the meantime that the condition will resolve itself on its own. By that time, it costs even more, and I have to pay even more when I pay for them than I would if they had sought care sooner. My health insurance premiums go up as a result. I would be better off if I and everyone else had health insurance, even through the government, since I and everyone else would pay less. According to the OECD, in 2019 the US spent $11,071 per capita on health care. Germany spent $6,645. Canada spent $5,418, less than half our total. Australia spent $5,187, even with all the care Nigel Bell required. *Someone somewhere* is paying these costs. You, despite your vain attempts not to, are paying for it, too. If you live here, you're just paying a lot more. Finally, we have a lower life expectancy and higher infant mortality than any of the countries I just listed. And doctors here manage to kill 100K people a year making preventable medical errors. Not only do we pay more, our outcomes are worse.

[@phillipstoltzfus3014]

@@metalgator8083 Yeah our medical system is definitely screwed up. Socialized medicine is a very dangerous idea however. As for higher infant mortality and such that is a result of unhealthy lifestyles and chemicals in foods etc. There is bad doctors that end up killing people too which is certainly an issue. I believe the government is already way to involved in our healthcare causing over inflated prices , and corruption.

[@WilliamHollinger2019]

In Canada, they do the same. I am 2nd generation American born American from my mom's side, not my dad's side. In America, our health care sucks including the health company if you have the most expensive health insurance you may feel go to hospital co-pay is free. With my dad's work, he is a phone tech with the hospital. Yeah, Lancaster general hospital is and still, the biggest hospital in the county others shut down. They are still growing. Copay is like $10-$50

[@israteeg752]

@@phillipstoltzfus3014 You are paying taxes anyway. Somewhare along the line in your life you will see the inside of a hospital. It's inevitable. The question is, what is your government doing with the funds. In reality , if you choose never to pay for health insurance in your life you'll most likely go bankrupt on the spot. If you do decide to pay health insurance under a free market such as the way it stands in the U.S, you will likely pay more for decent health coverage than what would be the varriance in tax savings to the government to whichever country you live in.

[@KR-ki9hw]

Physical therapy is good to let you see and feel how far you can actually stretch the injured area.

[@jamesdietz29]

Having had a skin graft to my left thumb, almost cutting off my right pinky and smashing my right thumb in a brake press... I feel your pain. I hope you recover most if not all use of your wrist! Your optimism and good cheer should go a long way in helping you recover. On a side note, you have the most beautiful and intense eyes I think I have ever seen!

[@kennygriffin6821]

Glad you have recovered! I have thirteen screws and a plate in my left wrist from a break years ago. Your will never know that they are there! Best of luck!

[@josephstevens9888]

Felicia - I'm glad your surgery and recovery went well. I hope you enjoy being at home for Christmas. One question, what is the name of your cat who appeared in the video? I just started following 3 weeks ago - love your video posts!

[@dket2571]

Wow, Glasses, no makeup... you look really beautiful.

[@Name-jw4sj]

She looks the same with or without makeup. I actually hate it when women wear make up.

[@thkempe]

@@Name-jw4sj It's none of your business, if a woman is made up or not. Care for you own face!

[@Name-jw4sj]

@@thkempe it’s just an opinion damn. The fact that you guys get so emotional about it proves my point that wearing make up is an irrational behavior mostly driven by an intense marketing ploy by make up companies.

[@thkempe]

@@Name-jw4sj "Emotional"? Me? You used the term "hate". I think this is a very strong and hostile emotion. You didn't say, you like it less or you don't like it.

[@Name-jw4sj]

@@thkempe yes hate. I hate make up. You really getting emotional because I hate make up?

[@dondash8921]

Glad you are feeling better & healing well. Merry Christmas to you & your family.

[@dondiego2262]

Speaking as a person who severely broke my arm at one point i my life I A) understand what you have gone through and B) that you are doing so well so soon. Be well and Merry Christmas.

[@nedmerrill5705]

Neat German map in the background, with the town names on it.

[@flytyme]

Where can I get one?

[@himmelhilf2188]

Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZ6vi6uhZa2Em7M

[@himmelhilf2188]

Sorry, that was the wrong link, I'll try again....

[@himmelhilf2188]

de.123rf.com/photo_12858350_karte-von-deutschland-%C3%9Cberblick-%C3%BCber-st%C3%A4dtenamen-gemacht-deutsch-konzept-.html

[@stevegohman7987]

@@himmelhilf2188 The map/pictures this site shows is nowhere nearly as complex as the one she has. Felecia, do you know from where that picture was acquired?

[@andrear.berndt9504]

Schöne Weihnachtszeit allerseits!

[@therealzilch]

Dir auch!

[@andrear.berndt9504]

@@therealzilch Dankeschön!

[@therealzilch]

@@andrear.berndt9504 Bitte sehr. Und allen ein gesegnetes neues Jahr!

[@ricalden9508]

So glad you have healed and verygladthatyourinsurance covered the charges! MerryChristmas!

[@PS3GamingScotland]

Good to see your on the mend. Good luck with your recovery and Merry Christmas Feli :)

[@nickspruytenburg1230]

Fascinating in all its detail. Here in the UK we tend to overlook the actual cost of medical and surgical treatment, and I do believe that it would be a good thing to tell people a little bit more so that they go away with a full picture of what has been done for them. It might well be that medical care in the USA is extremely expensive because of some of the reasons highlighted in some of the comments below; I would be very interested to find out comparative costs in the UK and Germany. Felicia, I'm sure you are so enormously grateful that you had a fast-response insurance policy. No-one can afford to take their good health for granted.

[@JW-YT]

Thats if you can actually get seen. Endless waiting lists make me want to pay for private healthcare for someone I know.

[@peterharridge8565]

@@JW-YT Of course you can get seen. What waiting lists I am tempted to say? Want a list? Fractured Jaw same day fixed Fractured Collar bone Same day fixed Fractured Zygoma Fixed within 5 days (had to wait for swelling to decrease to see if needed) Fractured finger Seen that day in A and E and then started specialist care in days. After that physio. Developed Heart problem seen that day in A and E, one week later in Hospital for 7 days for tests . Later an MRI scan. Pacemaker implantation Happened within 3 months of a definite need. But not urgent as in the need is right now. And all for no charge. So what are these waiting lists you speak of. If you want I can tell you of my many visits both for accidents and illnesses. None where a waiting list has been the case. I have been private twice, but that was only because of A) my GP not following NHS practice in terms of follow up after a heart attack diagnosis outside the country and B) because I needed to find out my pacemaker settings, my consultant (in Scotland) was refusing to tell me and was flying to the US that day. So was happy to pay £100 for that as very small amount compared to US rates. A problem I have never had in England.

[@JW-YT]

@@peterharridge8565 nah thats BS, my dad can barly walk on his leg, needs some operation to fix his artery and he has a minimum 6 month wait and hes in his 70s and still needs to work. I'm also in Scotland and thats the reality of the situation. Going to phone Bupa in the new year.

[@JW-YT]

@@peterharridge8565 also "all for no charge" not true, I've been paying NI and income tax all my working life. As we all have but when we need the service that money pays for its not available. Can I have my money back?

[@peterharridge8565]

@@JW-YT I was in Scotland and now am not, I needed to move for other reasons and a big part of my decision to move back to England (I considered NE Scotland) was the NHS in Scotland. Scotland is plusses and minuses. It is quiet in the Hospital because less population but that also means less expert help. So not all Scotland's fault but some is. It is clear they have used money on free prescriptions (and on free buses for the over 60's) to all and are paying the price. My advice, move to England within easy reach of a Hospital. In the absence of that possibility, contact your MSP office, he did wonders for me. I received full info about pacemaker settings, and also an Appt with a different Cardiologist. But I was concerned, at Inverclyde Hospital, about the lack of knowledge of Cardiac Physiologists. The consultant was getting involved when he shouldn't. It is clear why, they didn't know what the hell they were doing. In terms of using the feedback that you can always use in England to alert the Hospital bigwigs, that doesn't seem to be the case in Scotland. I never found a feedback straight to Hospital. This is another big problem, it seems you cannot go over a consultant's head. This is absolutely where the NHS should shine as Govt are responsible for problems. This is the one area where it is not great in the US. If a Hospital mucks up in the US, can you get redress other than with an attorney? Anyway consider loads of emails to the admin people and Managers at the Hospitals, unless you have a feedback option. I used this feedback when my Pacemaker was cancelled because the Cardiac centre was being used for emergency non Cardiac patients and got another op within 2 weeks. And was in phone contact with a Manager at the Hospital on the day. But that was Luton and Dunstable which is recognised as one of the best in the country. I could ring the cardiac centre and get checked out that day, I did this pre Pacemaker often. I couldn't have done that at Inverclyde not even once. And if I did, they couldn't have given me info because they don't know what they are doing. I don't expect that is the case in every Hospital in Scotland. In your Father's case I certainly would have concerns, if he has an artery problem (assume he has had an angiogram) then surely that would be urgent. Obviously is not in the Consultants opinion. And I wonder if the hip is related in some way. I say this because many times when I was in trouble (pre pacemaker), I would have bad hip pain. I was racing then on a bike and when I had hip pain most often I would be in trouble at the race HQ before the race. I needed GTN spray to even pump tyres up. I would have to do a lot stretching to get out the door. I was having bad hip pain lately as well(not that bad because I was stretching a lot), stopped Simvastatin prescribed for the heart problem and it all cleared up. And my breathing issues with it. And now I don't have to pedal real fast on the bike, before if I ever did less than 86 RPM average (so 100 plus maybe on fast stretches) would have hip pain and up hills would have a knee problem too due I think to muscle loss round the knee. Again the statins. But then again I don't have artery problems, as he does run this past a GP at least. As it could be dangerous to just stop a statin in his case. So that would be my totally reckless response (having never seen your Father), that A) You should insist on an op for the artery and B) Consider why the hip pain. If it is needed for an obvious hip replacement (my Mum got one within several months down south) then fair dinkum. But maybe there are other factors as to the hip pain. Why the work. He cannot work, he is in his 70's. I haven't worked since January 2017. When I did, I had to have a lot of time off . But am not on any benefits at all. That said I have paid tax every year since 2017 as took my personal pensions as lump sums.

[@toothpastehombre]

Its funny that Germany asked about flying you back for the surgery. I have friends who went to Spain for their knee surgery. They (husband and wife) stayed 4 weeks for post surgery and PT care as well. It was cheaper to fly to Spain, pay for surgery and medical costs, and hotel/living costs, for 5 weeks... than the co-pay/deductible/out of pocket costs of their insurance plan in the US.... America's health care system is beyond broken... For many, *many* Americans, one medical emergency, like your broken wrist, would completely ruin them financially

[@jerelull9629]

I saw the bill the Insurance Co paid for my therapy after a stroke. For that much, we ALL could have flown down to the Caribbean and stayed at a fancy resort. And we would have at least gotten a good tan, maybe a few rum punches....

[@davidwinebrenner6628]

Get well soon I pray you have a fast recovery

[@melaniebinasco7040]

I'm an occupational therapy student and I just finished a 12 week hand therapy internship, it's so so cool to hear about your experience as a patient!! Sorry you had to go through it, but its awesome that you chose to share and I'm glad you're feeling better! 🙌

[@richardtodd6843]

I recognize that pharmacy drive-through. I wonder if I'd recognize the hospital as well if I'd watched on a bigger screen, thanks to my hobby of trying out various diseases. That computerized paperwork system is one of the benefits to the Affordable Care Act. 15 years ago the paperwork systems were less compatible and waits in doctor's offices were much longer, at least for me in Cincinnati. That example of the German insurance company proposing major intercontinental travel for wrist surgery is a great example of how out of control US medical costs are. There are lots of special interests wanting to keep it that way.

[@colleenmarin8907]

I'm curious: "hobby of trying out various diseases"?

[@richardtodd6843]

@@colleenmarin8907 The flashiest one is a kidney transplant. I'd list the others, but I don't want to show off.

[@colleenmarin8907]

@@richardtodd6843 Oh my goodness!

[@lee_g3563]

I'd definitely recommend having the plate out after a couple of years. I broke my left wrist in Germany trying to ice skate (and falling onto the ice!) and needed a plate. At the time they recommended having it removed after around 2 years, but in the UK they also don't tend to remove them, they are seen as permanent. However, after around 6 years, I felt that the plate was becoming uncomfortable in my wrist. By this time I'd moved to Germany, the doctor here referred me to the hospital specialist who immediately said it needs to come out. I had the op 3 days later, and I have to say it was a massive relief. Maybe time it with a trip to Germany and have it taken out, the recovery time is much quicker and you won't regret it.

[@keld101]

Interesting, I don't know why they would remove the titanium parts unless they are reacting with the patient (aka making you uncomfortable). I'm sure they're safe to leave in regardless and you're less likely to get a repeat fracture with it in.

[@lee_g3563]

@@keld101 not exactly sure, but the doctor in Germany was surprised that I'd had mine in for over 6 years. I think the thinking over here is, that after 2 years or so the wrist has healed and no longer requires the additional support.

[@keld101]

@@lee_g3563 Weird, either it's a cultural thing about leaving foreign things in the body or their studies' conclusions are different than in the rest of the USA and UK.

[@larsradtke4097]

@@keld101 the costs.... The costs for removing the parts...

[@alwaysforevercurious8607]

I had a compression break in my forearm in 82 and the plate is still in my arm. Every several years I will feel a little twinge for about a week then it is gone again. From what I have read about leaving the plate in place, some studies show more complications when the plate is taken out rather than leaving the plate in place. But not everybody is the same. In my case, the plate would have needed to be taken out as soon as possible, because the bone will start growing over and around the plate making it not a good idea to dig the plate out of the new bone growth.

[@Ratherbflyin]

So glad to hear that everything went well for you. I have to admit, that I wasn't expecting a positive video when I first noticed that you had uploaded this video. I went through major abdominal surgery last year (in the US), which was the first time I had ever had any significant health issues that I needed to have taken care of. Like you, I had pretty good insurance that took care of most of the cost (I still had a relatively small co-pay that I needed to take care of). I was also quite shocked when I saw the actual cost of my surgery and subsequent hospital stay (I ended up being in the hospital for 4 nights). Thankfully I am now a cancer survivor, and with any luck will remain so for many years to come. Best of luck to you in the future, and I look forward to more of your uniquely insightful videos.

[@barnabydodd8956]

Those costs are basically just numbers on paper. Nobody actually pays that. If someone pays out of pocket, they don’t pay anywhere near that, and the insurance companies don’t pay that either as they negotiate it way down. I had surgery once on a broken ankle and the cost said something like $80,000 lol. My insurance covered the surgery and the insurance company didn’t pay anywhere near $80k either.

[@3.k]

Finally, you can do those one-handed push-ups again! :D Thank you for this interesting tour! The hospital information system sounds just brilliant! Good for the person waiting for you. Frohe Weihnachten! 🎄

[@thomassenbart]

The costs are insane in the USA. Our insurance system and govt. involvement is at the heart of these costs. It is the only place in the market where no one asks what the cost of X will be because everything is so opaque. If costs and competition were in play, these prices would plummet.

[@SladesShitboxGarage]

America has many good things, but it’s healthcare system is not one of them

[@thomassenbart]

@@SladesShitboxGarage The medical care and quality as well as speed, option of physicians etc...are all excellent, it is the costs that are out of control. I like the tank references btw :)

[@jessicaeasto]

@@thomassenbart I used to think this, too, but unless you are very wealthy or very lucky, we actually don't have options. I'm lucky enough that I can afford an insurance plan right now that gives me a lot of choice, but on most health insurance plans I've had in the past, there were hardly any options for doctors. I often couldn't keep my doctors and specialists because of the in/out-of-network stuff. And the high-cost of health care, in practical terms, limits "speed" as well. I.e., if you can't afford to have a procedure, you will put it off or never have it. Also, our overall health outcomes are worse than that of our economic peers. It's super, super disheartening. Less and less, I don't understand why we can't rally around challenges like this and, as a society, decided we want to be the "best" (best for the country, best in the world) for health care or whatever else problem. We could do it. We just don't.

[@thomassenbart]

@@jessicaeasto The vast majority of Americans are not lucky or wealthy and yet they have insurance and previous to the passage of the ACA, were overwhelmingly satisfied with their insurance. Certainly if the procedure you want is not covered, then the costs are borne by the individual. Outcomes vary depending on the procedure or disease you are speaking of and the differences are relatively minor in any case. I definitely agree that the current system needs reform, especially in the enormous costs. I don't agree that turning this segment over to the govt. is a good solution however. More competition, mandatory clarity in costs and pricing, more physicians are all good starts. One reason, is administrative waste. ... Hospitals, doctors, and nurses all charge more in the U.S. than in other countries, with hospital increasing much faster than professional salaries. In other countries, for drugs and are at least partially controlled by the government. www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi98eOsq-LtAhVWG80KHYXXDfoQFjABegQIAxAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.investopedia.com%2Farticles%2Fpersonal-finance%2F080615%2F6-reasons-healthcare-so-expensive-us.asp%23%3A~%3Atext%3DOne%2520reason%2520for%2520high%2520costs%2520is%2520administrative%2520waste.%26text%3DHospitals%252C%2520doctors%252C%2520and%2520nurses%2520all%2Cpartially%2520controlled%2520by%2520the%2520government.&usg=AOvVaw3kEi-rYBuJeJVRgXOrEo5X compared to the average of all the nations, Americans appear to go to the doctor less often and spend fewer days in the hospital after being admitted. The researchers determined that the higher overall health care spending in the was due mainly to higher prices-including higher drug prices, higher salaries for doctors and nurses, higher hospital administration costs and higher prices for many medical services.Jan 7, 2019

[@KR-ki9hw]

I think those of us who are insured pay for those are not.

[@quixoticPrancer]

At this rate, Josh will be out of the friend zone in no time!

[@jayscheer5529]

It was interesting to see you go through that journey in your life! Very glad wrist is on mend. Wrist and hands do so many things that find out when don't have proper use of them. Medical expenses can get so out of control and forbid you don't have insurance or bad insurance. Thank you for sharing the experience! So glad that have mobility again.

[@stefanmayer3128]

Hi Feli, Thanks for the update :) What actually impresses me most is not the costs but the speed in which you're in and out again. If I get it right, you go to the hospital about 1h before the surgery and you leave pretty much directly after. Sounds almost like drive-through. In any case, glade to hear you're happy with the experience (not the one breaking of course, but what comes afterwards, ah you know what I mean) Frohe Weihnachten und nen guten Rutsch!

[@sphhyn]

Wow! The costs !? 😱 And opioids? I did have surgery on my hand some years ago here in Germany. I only got Ibuprofen. But the service and organisation of the whole process sounds really great. I am glad everything went so smoothly.

[@nsbioy]

The cost to her was zero. Same as it would have been in Germany. She may have received better care in the US for the same price.

[@sphhyn]

@@nsbioy True. It did not matter to her. But Americans have to pay that, don’t they ? Why is it so much more expensive in the US ? Both countries are pretty much on the same level when it comes to medicine. That’s definitely strange.

[@kate4781]

@@sphhyn Depending on what health insurance we have, we have to pay some portion of it. I have what most people would consider to be amazing health insurance and I will only have to pay $250 out of pocket for an upcoming surgery (I pay about $200 per month and my employer pays around $700 per month for my insurance). Someone I know that pays a similar amount per month and is considered to have pretty good insurance is needs to pay 2000-3000 out-of-pocket. Someone with no insurance would, theoretically, be responsible for the entire amount, but hospitals will sometimes cut cost some for people in those circumstances. Insurance covering everything at the point of care is uncommon, which is why so many people are commenting on it.

[@kevinb2469]

@@sphhyn The poor either don’t have it or have one that requires you to pay the first $2000-$5000 of expenses per year. Others have a job with a private one that only expects you to pay the first $1000. Mine makes me pay the first $300. I pay hundreds per month and my company is paying a significant portion of the monthly cost of the plan.

[@Name-jw4sj]

@@sphhyn The reason why it is so expensive in the U.S is simply because we have private insurance whereas other advanced developed nations have public or strongly regulated private insurance. Our private insurance are not regulated so costs aren't regulated therefore everything is more expensive.

[@dvdraymond]

The way I heard it described once was that medical insurance is the only place in the US where haggling is still a thing. Insurance companies keep paying less and less, and in response the medical system keeps bumping up the sticker price more and more, so that the result _after haggling_ is the same. The problem comes because no where else in the US is haggling a thing. So when the individual person is presented with a $40,000 bill few people think "I should try to get this lowered", and just accept the bill at face value, whereas the hospital has no expectation to actually get what's on the bill and would take a lot less. That's their "insurance price" that they expect to be haggled down, rather than their "actual price". Unfortunately I have no idea how accurate this description is, but figured I'd pass it on.

[@EclecticHillbilly]

When you think about it, other than life insurance which has a defined amount and a defined event, insurance goes against the principles of business. With insurance, you pay in advance for a product and later (sometimes years later) they try to deliver as little of the product as possible. It's like you going in and paying in advance for a Cadillac and later when you try to pick up your car, they want you to take an econobox. Also, people with Medicare or insurance get about 90% knocked off the bill right up front but people with no insurance are expected to pay the entire 100 %. So if you have a $100k bill, it gets discounted to about $10k, insurance or Medicare pays their part and you pay the rest. With no insurance, they'll come after you for the whole $100k. In the case of the $90k discount, they write that off as a loss, although it is money that was never really there. ' The entire system is insane.

[@webdaddy]

US has among the shortest life expectancies of any first world country, at 2-3x the cost per capita.

[@michaelburns6414]

Yes, enjoyed and glad you are well on the mend🙏🙏🙏

[@jontillie9402]

I could listen to her all day lol she is so thorough with everything she speaks about.it also doesn't hurt she is beautiful and her smile would light up a room

[@calise8783]

I think ( as an American living in Germany for 20 years now) US healthcare is just as good as that in Germany. BUT the healthcare system with costs/billing is out of control!! When an injury can cause personal bankruptcies, it is not ok. And it is not fair to compare your German expat insurance to typical US insurance. My son broke his arm with an open break and had surgery in September here in Germany. He had an operation scheduled to have the two titanium rods removed and he and I, as his legal guardian both had covid tests 24 hours before the operation and our results were on-line within 6 hours. I say they might have a bit less schnick-Schnack here in Germany but I have unfortunately had too many hospital experiences in the US and Germany and for what we pay in costs, Germany is the place to be hands down when sick or injured. Ich wünsche Dir eine gute Besserung und ein Frohe Weihnachten!

[@annaclarafenyo8185]

Health care in the US is nowhere near as good as other developed countries, you just don't notice the mistakes, the over-diagnosis, and over-medication. For example, it is not clear that Felicia needed surgery, or whether they decided to do the surgery to make extra profits (they do that in the US, it's the obvious side-effect of for-profit healthcare).

[@anabelwe7743]

when you said what it cost... my jar dropped. OMG. So glad to live here in Germany with insurance. Greeting from NRW :)

[@zunedog31]

All Americans have access to insurance.

[@ThomasFischer71]

It was obvious, as the insurance was offering flight tickets from and back to USA, so that including the medical costs in Germany had to be significantly lower than the offer they got from the US. Insurances always try to save money (in Germany as in the US).

[@crappiefisher1331]

@@johnp139 yeah it costs zero.. without any discussion.. but nobody wonders when americans are clueless.. like 10% of americans being without health insurance, or about the additional millions of americans which are underinsured and only get the most basic insurance from their work and still have to pay a shitload out of their own pocket.. i guess that's why americans start go fund me and kickstarter campaigns when getting something serious done or end up with a more serious illness like cancer.. i guess it is very telling if in surveys 25% of households answer they had to postpone medical treatment because they could not afford it but hey luckily she still has a german health insurance company which fully paid everything unlike american ones.. i could pay german health insurance for basically all my life before ending up with the amount a one time heart surgery in the US costs... don't get me started on chronical illnesses with high monthly costs, because of reoccurring treatments and medication like e.g. diabetes with an average of about 350$ out of pocket each month in the US compared to 10 euro out of pocket in germany.. hey but lets hope you never get seriously ill, even less so ill that you can't work anymore or lose your job, but still have the same costs to pay because then you are royally screwed in the US

[@jbdragon3295]

@@crappiefisher1331 It didn't cost zero. You pay a ton in taxes that pay for it.

[@BrQtje]

​@@jbdragon3295 Please stop repeating this, nobody thinks health care is funded by magic. It's about the fact you pay zero when you use health care. Furthermore, Germany has a health insurance system that people pay for directly that pays for it. You don't pay a lot in taxes for it, you literally just pay for an insurance. It is affordable, because health care costs in Germany (and almost anywhere else in the world) are dramatically lower than in the US.

[@wheeler1]

no makeup necessary! you're gorgeous! glad your feeling better!

[@petertorressr7725]

I'm glad your ok. Thanks for the updates.

[@diytwoincollege7079]

Tough German girl. No pain meds required. Glad it all worked out.

[@NealB123]

Hi, Feli. Your insurance company will negotiate the final payment with the hospital. The amount they actually pay will be significantly less than the billing amount. Insane, but that's how it works in the US.

[@ralphvelthuis2359]

So, do they just throw numbers out hoping they'll pay the price? Youd think it would be easier to all get together and negotiate fixed costs. Canadian, so i dont really deal with this here. Ive had some medical issues here and basically all i paid was to park in the hospitals parking garage.

[@NealB123]

@@ralphvelthuis2359 Pretty much. Every hospital in the US uses a database called the Chargemaster to store the price it charges for everything from an aspirin to brain surgery. How each hospital calculates the prices in their Chargemaster database is their most closely guarded company secret and the prices vary wildly from one hospital to another.

[@TheRockkickass]

@@ralphvelthuis2359 I imagine the doctors treat everything with maple syrup

[@MyvIsLove2]

reminds me of a turkish street market... but with your health

[@stephenolan5539]

And all those negotiators need to be paid.

[@danperlmutter]

Thanks so much for this great video. I had what had happened with your wrist and enjoyed hearing all the details. Glad everything went well. you're the best!

[@rogerone7387]

Thank God you came out of all this in good health. You look good and back to yourself.

[@chrisjpfaff314]

Merry Christmas / Frohliche Weinachten Non US persons are always is a bit of a shock when they see what medical costs can be. They are incredibly high. The difference for people that are used to a government run system is basically the tax structure of each country. I lived in Canada for a number of years and was blown away by the amount removed from my earnings each month. But health care was basically "free". Here in the US we aren't taxed for health care, just taxed for everything else.

[@Walkerman379]

We do pay Medicare taxes in the US.

[@phillipstoltzfus3014]

People will never wrap their brains around that. They think there is really something like "free healthcare".

[@froniccruxis1049]

Plus you medical insurance doesn't instantly increase when you get a raise. You can cheap out on insurance or not, your choice

[@ANNEWHETSTONE]

Nothing is 'free' . But in Alberta Canada we are the only province without provincial sales tax and me have no monthly health care fees. No matter how rich or poor you don't pay to see a doctor or be in the hospital no matter how long it takes. Our problem is that medicine 💊 is not covered outside of the hospital unless they have some to give you. You need insurance for that. We are between the 🇺🇸 and 🇩🇪 as far as Healthcare. No one needs to die alone at home. Cancer is extremely expensive. That is usually where gofundme is used. Where parents/ adults have to be off work for a long time.

I read somewhere that those costs are more fantasy than reality. The *actual* amount that the insurance company pays is less.

[@lawrenceedger292]

I get nauseous and most often vomiting after each and every surgery due to the anesthesia. Electronic medical records are an awesome improvement in our healthcare. I avoid most if not all painkillers, they scramble my brain. Glad your surgery went well! I’m sure you’re glad to be back home in Germany. Merry Christmas Feli!

[@brianrobertson1211]

Merry Christmas Felicia.

[@Daguerreotypiste]

As you said: the US healthcare system is very professional, espacially the professionel bill.

[@joemauma9750]

And all pushed by the government. A little of both private and public

[@dGoerr]

@@joemauma9750 Yes. The problem is that everything that is so nice and comfortable for the user is just as comfortable for someone malicious.

[@markusbuchenau2611]

Strange thing: This year there were astonishingly many broken bones among the people I know. Best story: The guitarist of our band was run over by a wild boar when riding his bike at night and broke his collarbone. He wasn't the only one: Since march I've also have platinum in my wrist and shoulder. Good to know that you won't have any problems with that at the airport. I wasn't sure about that.

[@Trifler500]

My doctor told me that whether you have problems with security or with MRIs depends on what metal they use. If they use ferrous metals for anything, then you can never have an MRI again. If they use pure titanium, then it's not affected by external magnetic forces. Where it gets complicated is with the titanium alloys they use now, so you have to look at what percentage is titanium. Some people who work in buildings with lots of security get the screws removed after they heal, and some people discover they have an allergic reaction to the screws and have them removed after they heal as a result.

[@riccileighisreal6889]

More to add suspicious aspects to the year 2020.

[@markusbuchenau2611]

@@riccileighisreal6889 LOL. That's it! They want us all to have platinum implants in our bodies! With tiny transmitters inside to find us wherever we are. Probably Bill Gates again ... :)))

[@DoberDudeProductions]

Thank you for covering this topic.

[@petegleeson1]

Good to hear you have healed so well.

[@KB-xd5wq]

What the hospitals and Dr's charge and what they really get from the insurance companies are two different things. I had knee surgery and the hospital charged something like $12,000 for their fee alone and surgical rooms but only got $3,700. Same with the Dr fees and other charges. The bills and actual payments are very different.

[@BrantCasteel]

You are correct. The "self pay" prices are so high because it's all part of a negotiating tactic for reimbursement rates with the insurance companies. (Hospital: We charge $12,000 for this. Ins Co: Ok, well if you want to be in-network for the 175,000 people we cover in your city, you'll accept $3,700. If not, then our patients will go elsewhere for care.)

[@Dr-Alexander-The-Great]

Hi felica, merry Christmas 🎄. I had a joke about German sausage but it’s the wurst . Oh I broke my finger the other day, but on the other hand I’m fine

[@SladesShitboxGarage]

I see what you did there

[@brianhiles8164]

I was going to give a *DISLIKE* as a new-age version of a _groan,_ but realized it would be misconstrued. Therefore: _groan!_

[@jerelull9629]

@@brianhiles8164 I suspect that / *groan!* / was a sign of appreciation😋

[@sojolly]

Thanks for sharing your energy and positive spirit with us this year. You have uplifted me with your smile (you can truly light up a room and that is an awesome superpower to have) and energy.

[@sojolly]

I am glad you got thru your surgery and didnt have any problems. My son is a Resident Surgeon in Memphis. This was a hard video to watch, i experience empathic pain (not a good superpower to have).

[@scottmerriman2691]

I had a similar experience many years ago. I am glad you had a positive outcome.

[@NomadAndy]

At least if you ever move back to Germany when you're older you have a badass scar to remember America forever. :-)

[@yt-viewerfromger320]

Noo, not at all! - At Feli's arm it looks quite nice, as she does..!

[@lp.shakur]

@@yt-viewerfromger320 oh mann 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@xzonia1]

The scar probably won't even be visible a year from now unless someone looks super close. They fade over time and sometimes disappear completely.

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

In order to get things paid for, there's a lot over initial over-billing. Not all insurance companies pay for this or that. So hospitals and doctors over-bill, insurance companies tell them what they will pay, and the hospital/doctors/etc. accept that amount and/or bill a patient for non-covered services (or try to - sometimes it's not legal). This over-billing is also used to cover expenses of under/non-insured people in the US.

[@ianfurqueron5850]

I have also wondered if the over-billing is done for tax or book-keeping reasons - the amount the hospital isn't paid they can write off as a loss.

[@Maxfr8]

You owe me $53,000 for your comment.

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

@@ianfurqueron5850 Purely as a bookkeeping measure would only damage the hospital financial standing - they would lose credit standing and the ability to buy supplies. The tax incentive =may= apply because they can itemize the loss without impacting their bottom line. That said, the write off is limited. Several hospitals have failed because their overall fiscal stability deteriorated beyond repair. Tax write offs can never save a business. It's a common misconception that you can write off all your losses. As an ongoing entity, a business is expected to operate within its budget. If it fails to do so the government is under no obligation to help them. Tax write offs exist to cover things that businesses cannot insure against, cannot get loans to pay to cover costs, and things that government wants to subsidize. Write offs exist for expenses that cannot be expected to recover from if a situation makes the institution vital in the eyes of government. Those write offs are written into law and are typically so general that many businesses take advantage of them, hospitals included. However, there are limits and legal specifics they must meet.

[@ianfurqueron5850]

@@jeffreyphipps1507 Thanks. I've always wondered if/how it could work. My hypothesis has always been from a "if they know they aren't going to get the amount they are asking for - then why ask for it" POV.

[@jeffreyphipps1507]

@@Maxfr8 LOL! Here at ABC Insurance, we'll only pay you $49999.43. After all, we need to keep our rates high for the stupid customer...

[@alaskaenmexico8866]

As a dual citizen of Mexico and the U.S., I have a lot of experience dealing with the healthcare systems in both countries. I had a few surgeries here in Mexico when I broke both of my heels, and the experience was very pleasant. I had an insurance company from the states cover them (long story), but the red tape was real to say the least. It took 90 days to approve the first surgery, and about 5 weeks after that to get the date. I'm glad that the red tape wasn't so bad with you.

[@leisterj]

Please do more experience videos like this. I found this and your road trip video very interesting.

[@IanZainea1990]

you're pretty without makeup

[@larshoffmann2594]

With makeup too. But the all natural look has something to it.

[@josephbordonaro]

Health care and higher education costs in the US have increased far faster than other economic sectors over the last several decades. Many university students graduate with enormous student debt and the #1 cause for personal bankruptcies in the US is medical debt. While the care provided to Americans who can access it is excellent, tens of millions of Americans are uninsured, and many tens of millions more are underinsured. Everyone is paying too much. US employers have been trying for decades to reduce their health care costs by shifting costs to their employees in the form of higher co-pays, deductibles, co-insurance, premiums, and network restrictions. Prescription costs are astronomical and politicians refuse to address the problem because they are owned by American corporations. A medicine I was prescribed recently, one that has been around since the 60s, was once cheap, then something happened and now it is expensive. The same med that costs $5/pill in the US is 50 cents in Canada and Australia. It is a dysfunctional, messed up system and is INSANE. Welcome to America!

[@phillipstoltzfus3014]

Look into what the President has been doing about prescription prices. I think its called favored nations act or something of the sort.

[@josephbordonaro]

@@phillipstoltzfus3014 This is only for Medicare Part B drugs - not even Medicare Part D drugs which are by far and away the most common prescription drugs. Also, it does nothing about drug prices outside of Medicare. It's good for those Seniors who require expensive physician administered drugs, so it's better than nothing, but it only addresses a small fraction of prescription drugs.

[@phillipstoltzfus3014]

@@josephbordonaro Yeah I didn't look into it a whole lot.

[@WolframFiedler1]

German guy in America here (for 25+ years now...): your experience mirrors mine - you get excellent care for a very high price. As long as you have insurance, you are ok but I can't imagine how it would be without. Good to see you did well and enjoy being back in München

[@jimgegner1053]

Merry Christmas and thank you for all the videos you do from your second home city Cincinnati.Jim Gegner 🎄😀🎅🏼

[@HaleyMary]

$40 000 sounds so expensive! I'm glad you have insurance. It would be scary to have something happen and not have health insurance considering how expensive US healthcare is. I'm Canadian and would never be able to afford US healthcare. It makes me realize how much we take for granted in countries that have universal healthcare.

[@kaldo_kaldo]

The numbers you hear aren't real though. It's a strange, strange system. For example, I had appendix surgery maybe 10 years ago. The bill was $24,000. I didn't have insurance, so what I paid was $1,000. Still a lot but it's nothing like the numbers you hear.

[@KB4QAA]

@@kaldo_kaldo There are different "prices" for complex historical reasons. The 50K was probably the "Usual and Customary" price. Realistically, her insurance probably paid about 1/3 that.

[@socksandpi1264]

@@kaldo_kaldo I had a surgery for VNS in 2016 and that cost $83,000. My insurance paid about $50,000 and I was billed the remainder, which I'm still paying on. My appendix surgery in 2018 was $26,000. No insurance, only reason I didn't have to pay it was because that specific hospital has a program to write off the costs by 0/25/50/75/100% depending on how poor you are to them. And, not a lot of hospitals have such programs to help people. The US system's costs are unnecessary and really greedy.

[@williameisenman5538]

Glasses look good on you, really.

[@garyholda8671]

Very interesting video. Glad you came thru the process ok. Also, the cost is unbelievable-glad your insurance paid for it. Keep your videos coming!

[@64maxpower]

Hope your recovery goes well

[@sm5574]

There's a lot of debate about health care in the USA. Everyone (outside the industry) agrees that reform is necessary. Unfortunately, that's the only thing everyone agrees on.

[@tru3sk1ll]

There is nothing wrong with American healthcare, we are a capitalist nation, if you want immediate high quality care you pay, simple as that, pay your premiums, pay your bills, case closed, I'd rather have freedom of choice, than another 10% of my paycheck forced out to pay for these german expat wrist rockets

[@leDespicable]

@@tru3sk1llYou don't even realise how idiotic that sounds, but it's ok, stay in your bubble.

[@sm5574]

@@tru3sk1ll, You seem to assume there are only two options: Expensive free-market, or cheap socialized. I believe affordable free-market is another possibility.

[@FriedrichBarb]

@@tru3sk1ll Room temperature IQ take on it

[@crappiefisher1331]

@@tru3sk1ll lol quality care isn't even true.. the US constantly ranks worse than other developed countries when it comes to: cost, outcomes and quality.. also freedom of choice? lmao with american insurance you can't even freely pick your doctors or hospitals, because they have to be part of your insurers network sadly many americans are so brainwashed by this whole american greatest nation in the universe nonsense they aren't even able to take a critical look at their own country and that's when progress stops... when i am so sure i am the greatest in the whole world i never have to examine and question myself.. and if i never take a honest look at myself i will never be able to improve... america in a nutshell

[@armadefuego5907]

I am no authority on this subject. I have heard medical bills cause a lot of bankruptcies in the US. I experienced a comminuted fracture of my femur and cancer. The bills were staggering. I had insurance. I am a veterinarian. The costs were a huge contrast for me compared to my fees for orthopedic surgery. I practiced in a rural area. In today's dollars, I charged $150 to repair a fractured leg. $150 was the total cost.

[@EclecticHillbilly]

Medical bankruptcies are the number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States.

[@shawnmurphy759]

Great to hear a happy ending!!!!!

[@tomyoung7757]

As a nurse in the US health care system I enjoyed this so much. Pleased your healthy again and thanks for sharing.

[@AuruGames]

And here I'm in Germany, had a bad fall and cut my Hand and Wrist. The hole show. Ambulance ride, ED edmission, surgery the same night, overnight stay. Check up by my GP a week later. My Co-Pay? 10€ for the overnight in the hospital and 5€ for a prescription refill...a total of 15€...so 18/19US$

[@calise8783]

Same but in our experience with my minor son our cost was zero. Ambulance with Notarzt Surgery Two nights in the hospital. Check-ups every 4-5 weeks- 5 of them Medications Second surgery to remove the titanium rods Check-ups Covid tests Cost Zero!

[@franninchen]

I am in Germany too. Had heart surgery and stayed for 2 nights in the hospital. Had to pay 20€ for those 2 nights but got 80€ per night back from my insurance as I got an insurance which is called "Krankenhaustagegeld" as an extra to my regular insurance. So in the end I got 140€ for getting surgery instead of paying something. 😅

[@moi01887]

In the US, if doctors dispensed $1 bills, your insurance would have to pay $17 and you'd have a $2 copay to get one.

[@enfynet]

You’d be billed $17, you have to copay $2 up front. Then insurance pays $12 instead of $17, of which $6 goes back to the government for taxes and licenses. And you go home with that crisp $1 bill.

[@FreezyAbitKT7A]

@@enfynet plus 7 pages of information how to use a $1 and any possible interactions with other denominations eg, if used with a ten you would have $11

[@tempest411]

@@enfynet You don't understand! The hospital has an 'APP'!!!

[@stephendavis8243]

You have done a good job making this interesting. Thank you

[@anakinskywalker6666]

as long as you're okay that's all that matters just take care of yourself and have a happy healthy new year enjoy spending time with your family